InaGo: The Soccerloving Ghost
by Vera The Awesome
Summary: Tenma, Tsurugi, Shindou and Kirino are sent into a forest as part of a test of courage. While they struggle with their building feelings for one another during this idle game, it turns out Kurama's ghost story wasn't as fake as they thought. TxT and SxK.
1. The Prologue

**A/N: Hello, everyone! I spent the last week working hard on this story, which turns out to be my longest story yet. It's also my first Ina11 (Go) story that focuses on suspense and not just romance, I hope I did a good job. XD; I'm submitting chapter 1 and 2 at the same time because the first is just a prologue and I'm afraid it'd be boring with just that. So, with said, I hope you enjoy this brandnew story!**

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><p>The end of August was coming near. While many junior high school students preferred to spend the last days of summer at the beach, the members of the Raimon soccer team were gathered in the hills of the Kanto region. In the middle of a thick forest was a bungalow owned by the Shindou family. Even though the Raimon captain usually went there with his parents only, they allowed him to share it with his friends this year. The private bungalow looked more like a hotel than anything, so there was no issue of space. As the sun was slowly setting behind the trees, the group sat together in front of the tall building, roasting marshmallows around a campfire.<p>

"… and so, they all managed to leave the haunted house, safe and unharmed," Shinsuke finished his story. He beamed a smile when his friends took a moment to clap for him.

"Puh," Kurama scolded, and he swallowed his marshmallow whole. "You call that a ghost story? Everyone survived!" He pointed his stick straight at the other boy and flashed an eerie smirk. "Let me tell you a _real_ ghost story."

The others grinned at his remark, with exception of Hayami. "Another ghost story…?" he moaned, and he leaned against his tanned friend for comfort. "They're scary…"

"Don't worry!" Hamano chimed as he wrapped an arm tightly around his friend's shoulder. "They're just for fun! They're not real anyway."

"Not real? Oh, I assure you this one's real," Kurama teased, and he gradually lowered his voice to a whisper. "It happened right here, in this very forest." He paused shortly to take in his friends' reactions to his opening line. While most members of the team smiled in anticipation, Tenma and Shinsuke exchanged awestruck glances with each other, their fists clenched in excitement. The taller brunet then turned to his other side, where Tsurugi was seated. The blue-haired boy was the only one who looked disinterested, his head lowered and his arms crossed. He would've looked asleep if it weren't for his hand transporting a marshmallow from the fire to his mouth every few minutes. Tenma seemed surprised that his friend expressed no fascination to the upcoming story, but then smiled and looked at his senior again.

Kurama cleared his throat and continued: "A few months ago, two boys came to camp in this forest. They loved to play soccer, just like us. One night, the boys couldn't find their way back to camp and got lost. It was dark, and cold, and foggy… and then one of the boys disappeared in a flash." He grinned when Tenma and Shinsuke gasped in unison. "The other boy started looking for his friend, and that's when he heard a voice, a creepy voice very close to him…" Kurama grabbed a flashlight and shone it underneath his chin to emphasize the scary atmosphere. "'Let's play soccer, let's play soccer…!' When the boy turned around, he stood face to face with a ghost, the ghost of a boy his age. This ghost loved to play soccer as well, but he was the only ghost in the forest and humans fled whenever they saw him. That's why he created a terrifying hissatsu technique… As soon as this shoot hits you, your soul is stolen from your body. You will belong to the ghost from then on, so he can play soccer with you forever… That's when he realized his friend had also become a victim of the shoot, as he was one of the very, very many the ghost targeted."

The reactions among the group were different now. Sangoku, Kurumada and Amagi were still smiling, not believing one bit that the story was real. Kariya shared a similar expression, although his inner self considered the story worthy of the trashbin. Ichino, Aoyama and Hayami, however, looked terrified, trembling all over at this point. Hayami was now clinging to Hamano, who simply looked at Kurama with an O-shaped mouth. Tenma and Shinsuke, while scared, were still eager to hear the end of the story. Tsurugi now had one eye open, looking at the storyteller, but said nothing. Shindou and Kirino smiled just like the third-years, but they couldn't convince themselves that the story sounded entirely fake.

"A-and? What happened next?" Tenma stuttered.

Kurama turned his head to him with a creepy smirk. "What do you think? Neither of the boys ever left the forest again. People spent days looking for them, but it was no use. Their souls had been stolen by the soccer-loving ghost, _right __in__ this __forest.__"_

"Gyaaah!" Half the team uttered the shriek at the same time. They all stared at the blue-haired boy, their eyes wide in fear, with exception of Tenma. Unlike the others, he shut his eyes and started clinging to Tsurugi's arm, tightly. The ex-Seed gaped at him in a mix of disbelief and annoyance while he tried to push him off, his cheeks going slightly red. "O-oi! Matsukaze! Let go! Let_ go_, dammit!"

Kurama lowered his flashlight and let out a laugh. "You should've seen your faces!" he snickered, pointing at the scared half of the group. He then fixed his eyes on the floundering pair and let out a chuckle, raising his eyebrows. "Getting a little close there, eh?"

Tsurugi shot him a glare and finally managed to free himself from a persistent Tenma. "W-what are you saying, moron?" he scolded, suddenly a lot livelier than before. "Matsukaze's just scared over nothing! Your story is fake and crap on top of that!"

"Now, now," Sangoku started with an awkward smile, and he lifted his hands to try and keep the peace between the younger boys.

Kurama sent a glare straight back at Tsurugi and snarled: "Fake? This story is a hundred percent real! If you think it's so fake, why don't you take on the test of courage?"

Tsurugi raised his eyebrows. "Test of courage?"

"Yeah," Kurama nodded, and he crossed his arms with a self-indulgent face. "We'll drop you off in the middle of the forest. It's up to you to find your way back, _assuming_ the soccer-loving ghost won't get you first."

"Tch," Tsurugi scoffed. He crossed his own arms and looked away. "What a load of bullsh-"

"And you should probably take Matsukaze Scaredy-cat Tenma with you while you're at it," Kurama continued. "It looks like he needs a lesson in getting over his fears as well."

Tsurugi instantly snapped his head back to the other boy. "I am _not_ scared!" he hissed.

While Kurama simply smirked at him, Tenma lowered his head with a blush, slightly embarrassed about his reaction to his senior's story. But then he managed a smile and looked at Tsurugi again. "It's a good idea, Tsurugi. I need to get a little tougher, after all," he said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head.

Before Tsurugi could protest, Kariya lifted his hand to draw attention and spoke up: "In that case, I suggest Shindou-senpai and Kirino-senpai go too." He turned his head to the pink-haired boy, who was seated not too far from him. He flashed an angelic smile and added: "There is something you need to tell Shindou-senpai, right, Kirino-senpai?"

Shindou looked at his best friend with a questioning smile. "Eh? Is there, Kirino?"

Kirino smiled back at him with a desire to strangle the big-mouthed first-year. "Ah, well, maybe just a little something…" he mumbled nervously.

"Now that you mention it, there does seem to be some tension between you two lately…" Kurumada thought out loud, a hand on his chin. "A little alone time might be exactly what you need."

"Besides, if captain stays close, he can always reach Tenma and Tsurugi in case they do need help, since he knows the forest," Shinsuke added. He looked at Tenma, who nodded in agreement.

"It's decided then!" Kurama concluded. He checked his watch and took a look around the team's circle. Aside from the campfire, the moon had become the only source of light. Deciding now was the right time, he turned to the four candidates with a sly smirk. "Are you all ready?"

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><p><strong>AN: Seeing as the story focuses on two seperate pairings from here on, I'll be dedicating the chapters to one scene of them each. Oh, and in case you're wondering why Kariya is there: it's shown he's on Raimon's side in the movie trailer so I figure he's a good guy, he just... likes to show his rapeface a lot. XD And I imagine he'll keep teasing Kirino even when he's settled in the team. I have no idea where this character will go and my fic might be 100% inaccurate by putting him in like this, but hell, I love the little bastard and he's the perfect factor to send Shindou and Kirino into the forest. I'll see you in chapter 2, everyone!**


	2. The Comfort and The Confession

Tsurugi kicked a pebble against a tree, his fists in his pockets. "How did it end up like this…" he growled inarticulately. While he complained to no one in particular, his companion waved after the car that sped away from them. Shindou's parents had assigned one of their maids to stay with the team in case the boys needed help around the house. She was also the one who had brought them to the bungalow by car, and saw no problem aiding them in their little game.

After the rear lights disappeared in the distance, Tenma turned to his grumpy friend and chimed: "Well, let's go, Tsurugi!"

Tsurugi lifted his head to look at him, still annoyed. "Weren't you the scared one here? Why are you so exci-" He stopped when he took a closer look at the brunet's face. Even though Tenma was smiling, his lips were visibly trembling, along with the rest of his body. His hands were squeezing a soccerball at chest height and his eyes were wide open. The kid looked like he was about to pee his pants and he was still trying to keep his chin up.

Tsurugi exhaled a sigh. He himself possessed no fear of the dark and just wanted to get their walk back to the bungalow over with. Even though he didn't know the way by heart, they couldn't be too far from civilization and it would take them an hour to find the others, at most. The biggest danger he could think of was bumping into a tree or tripping on a rock. The hell with Kurama's stupid ghost story.

"Oi… why did you bring a soccerball?" Tsurugi inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"A-ah, I just thought, i-it might calm me down, seeing as I-I love soccer and all," Tenma stammered, and he looked like he was about to crush the ball into pieces. He barely had the courage to take his eyes off his friend, afraid a ghost might pop up if he dared to glance into the darkness.

Tsurugi lifted his hand and placed two fingers on his forehead, his eyes shut in resignation. Honestly, this kid never changed… "Look," he started, regaining eye contact with his teammate, "there's nothing to be scared of. Kurama's story's made-up, there is no way a soccer-loving ghost, or a ghost in the first place, exists."

"Y-you can't say that, Tsurugi!" Tenma exclaimed. "No one knows if ghosts really exist!"

"So you believe in them, huh?" Tsurugi rolled his eyes. This talk was probably going to get them nowhere. Keeping his hands in his pockets, the blue-haired boy turned 180 degrees and started walking. "Let's go."

"A-ah, wait, Tsurugi!" Tenma rushed to join his side, determined to stay close. After walking for a few minutes, he managed to gather his courage and take in his surroundings, not wanting to keep his eyes glued to Tsurugi and annoy him with his scared behavior. Tenma had to admit to himself that he admired his cool attitude. Not only did he appear completely fearless, he wasn't worried about getting lost either. If they stayed close to each other, nothing could happen, right…? But still, there was only the two of them, and the forest was so dark, and surprisingly quiet… Tenma shut his eyes as chills ran down his spine.

Tsurugi kept quiet all the while, not in the mood to say much. Their walk was so average that he almost _wished_ they'd been given a challenge. This was boring him, they were wasting their time. Stupid Kurama with his stupid ideas… Tsurugi eventually glanced at the other boy and frowned when he saw Tenma was still shivering and keeping a firm grasp on his soccerball. The forest was as calm and peaceful as it got, why was he so scared? Tsurugi figured it was just Tenma's personality. Even with all the pain and pressure he went through battling Fifth Sector, the brunet remained as naïve and innocent as always, and he was probably thinking up scenarios from creepy stories he heard before. For some reason, it had an effect of unnerving Tsurugi. Tenma somehow gave off this vibe that made him sympathize with him, even when he thought ghosts were pure bull. The more he thought about it, the more impatient Tsurugi got. He wanted to tell Tenma to stop being such a crybaby and man up, but he knew that would just make the situation worse. He could easily imagine him crying in this state, and he absolutely did not want that. So he did the only other thing he could think of.

Tenma stopped walking when Tsurugi's extended arm blocked his path. He looked at the hovering hand in front of his face for a moment, and then fixed his eyes on the other boy with a confused expression. "Tsurugi…?"

"Take it," Tsurugi told him, averting eye contact. He kept his face turned away entirely, not wanting Tenma to see the blush that crept on his cheeks. "You'll be less scared like this, right?"

Tenma widened his eyes when he realized what he meant. His heart made a jump in both relief and gratitude, and he felt his own cheeks heat up slightly. Tsurugi's gesture came as a complete surprise, but it was a surprise that comforted him in an astoundingly pleasant way. Tenma finally managed one of his good old smiles and took hold of Tsurugi's hand, grasping it firmly. "Yeah!" he nodded happily.

Tsurugi could tell by his answer that Tenma was smiling, and he couldn't help but smile himself. Even with the odd feeling that their entangled hands gave him, he was still glad to see Tenma cheer up, finding there was something cute about the boy whenever he expressed such liveliness. He stopped and blinked when he realized what he was actually thinking, and he almost let go of Tenma's hand. Cute? Tenma was cute? Tsurugi instantly stared at the trees again, wondering if there was something wrong with him. This was the first time he considered anyone cute. Why Tenma? He was just being his usual self. His usual _annoying_ self. When did his view of Tenma's chirpiness change from irritating to charming?

Unaware of Tsurugi's pondering, Tenma put more energy in his movements and happily skipped forward. The doubts about being safe with Tsurugi were completely gone. Of course they were safe. As long as Tsurugi stayed by his side, Tenma confidently believed they'd be okay. He eventually started humming a tune, which went in sync with his footsteps, but paused when he noticed his sight was getting blurry. There was nothing wrong with his eyes; the boys had stepped into a sudden fog bank, and the trees, even the ground, disappeared from their view in an instant.

"O… oi, Tsurugi…" Tenma muttered awkwardly. As he gazed across their surroundings, he tightened his grip on Tsurugi's hand, which in turn caused the blue-haired boy to go red. "Do you know where we are…?"

Trying to ignore the nagging feeling inside of him, Tsurugi looked around himself and answered: "I thought we were supposed to go straight ahead… but I can't see a thing in this fog."

"Maybe we should wait until it's gone," Tenma suggested, looking at him.

Tsurugi immediately shook his head. "It's night. This fog could stay here for hours. I don't want to waste any more time here than I have to." He picked up the pace, seeing as the fog had slowed them down, and pulled Tenma along without another word.

Tenma followed him with a hesitant frown. He had a vibe telling him something bad might happen if they kept going. They could barely see where they walked and every step could mean a rock or branch that was out to get them to trip. The only reason they didn't bump into any trees was because they were big enough to spot just in time. Tenma wanted to suggest they wait again, but then saw how Tsurugi's eyes had already narrowed in annoyance and decided not to feed on his anger. He was here against his will in the first place; Tenma understood why he wouldn't want to stop.

Just when he exhaled a sigh, the ground disappeared underneath his feet. Tenma widened his eyes and let out a yelp when his body suddenly leaned forward without any surface to land on. Tsurugi felt how Tenma suddenly got a lot heavier and his own eyes went big when he realized the boy had stepped off a sharp-edged hill.

"Matsukaze!" Tsurugi tried to pull him back up, but his efforts were in vain. Unable to carry Tenma's weight, he was dragged down with the other boy and the two screamed in unison when they went over the edge. Tsurugi remembered in a flash how Tenma had been fearing situations like this, and instantly refused to let those fears increase. Just before the hill starting leading them down, Tsurugi threw his arms around Tenma's back and head, leaving himself to take the fall. He pressed the other boy as close as he could, trying to protect him with his body. They rolled and rolled, and Tsurugi refused to let go of his friend, even when he was the one catching most of the damage. Tenma must be feeling so scared, and he was here thanks to his stupid words… He couldn't let him get hurt. He wouldn't allow it. His teeth gritted in determination, Tsurugi tightened his grip on Tenma, his fingers digging into his hair. He was going to protect him as much as he had to.

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><p>"… it's gotten foggy."<p>

Shindou waved a hand in front of his face, even though he knew that wouldn't help clear the mist. He sighed when he got no reply and turned around to his best friend, who was lingering a few meters behind. Because of the thick fog, the brunet could only see his silhouette.

"Kirino, are you going to talk to me?" Shindou questioned, his eyebrows lowered impatiently. "You haven't spoken a word since the others dropped us off."

Kirino once again refused to answer. When he moved closer, Shindou saw he wasn't even looking at him. The pink-haired boy was instead staring at his feet with a frown on his face. He was angry and worried at the same time; angry because of Kariya's big mouth that had lead them here, and worried about what Shindou would do if he found out what was bothering him. Damn that little brat, how was it he could always read him so well… Kariya had forced him into a corner, leaving him almost no choice but to speak his mind. But it was because of that exact pressure that Kirino snapped shut, and the tension between him and his best friend had only risen from that point.

"Kirino," Shindou repeated, "what's bothering you? You've been acting off for a week now. You suddenly seem so distant, and… it worries me. Even the others noticed. You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Kirino looked up at him with surprisingly empty eyes. Their colour even seemed to have darkened a little, as if reflecting their owner's current mood. He then turned away and started to walk in a random direction. "The bungalow should be that way-"

Shindou grabbed his hand to stop him. "I know where it is, I've been visiting this forest for years," he reminded his friend, trying not to raise his voice. "Kirino. Please stop avoiding me. Is it something I did? Do you have something to tell me like Kariya sai-"

His eyes couldn't keep up with Kirino's movements. Out of nowhere, the boy turned back to him and grabbed him by the wrists. Shindou was forced back against a tree, his hands suddenly glued to the trunk at each side of his head. He shut his eyes at the impact and opened them wide the next moment, shocked to see Kirino's aggravated face right in front of him. "K-Kirino…?"

"Shut up…" His voice was low, so low it sounded threatening. "Just shut up for a bit."

Shindou stared at him in complete awe. He had seen his best friend this angry before, but it was the first time he was this angry at _him_. Had he hit a nerve when he mentioned Kariya's words? Why? What was it Kirino was hiding from him? He didn't know this side of him at all.

Kirino let go and stepped back after a moment of silence. He looked away with a sigh, suddenly seeming sad rather than anything. Shindou frowned worriedly; he wanted to help his friend, but when he was switching moods like this, he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do.

"Kirino…" he whispered when he felt it was safe again. While the other boy continued to look away from him with that sorrowful frown, an idea came to mind. It was something he had rarely done before, and seeing as just talking to a struggling Kirino only seemed to worsen the situation, this might actually help. Without another word, Shindou stepped forward and spread his arms, placing them tightly around his best friend. He rested his head on his shoulder and his hands on his back, his face brushing against Kirino's pigtail.

Shindou felt the other boy stiffen inside his embrace and shut his eyes, not intent on letting go right away. "Kiri—Ranmaru…" he corrected himself, feeling his cheeks go warm as Kirino's first name left his lips. "I don't know what's going on with you, and trust me, I'm ashamed about that… I'm supposed to be your best friend, and yet… I can't force you to bare your soul to me. I don't know if I'm the cause of your problem, but if I am, I'm sorry…" He pressed Kirino a little closer and let his hands run across his back. "… Ranmaru. I want to help you. That's what I'm supposed to do. As soon as you're ready, please let me back in. I don't want any distance between us, I want us to stay the same."

To his surprise, Shindou felt Kirino move in his arms and return the embrace, just as tightly. Shindou opened his eyes when he heard sobbing, a sound Kirino rarely made. It was usually him who lost control of his emotions and let them flow in the form of tears. He frowned, hating how whatever troubled Kirino hurt him so much that he had to cry, and made sure to keep his arms firmly wrapped around his best friend. "Go ahead…" he whispered, not wanting Kirino to feel ashamed of his tears. "You've always been there for me… It's my turn now. You can cry. Cry as much as you want."

Kirino did exactly that. He squeezed his eyes shut, although that didn't prevent his tears from escaping. Even when he cried so much that he started to drench Shindou's shoulder, he cried some more, and he tightly grasped the fabric of his friend's shirt between his fingers. "S-Shindou," he said eventually, having a bit of trouble speaking and tripping over his words, "i-it hurts so much…"

Shindou clenched his teeth. He felt so deeply for his friend that hearing those words hurt him too. He lifted one hand and gently brushed it through Kirino's hair. "What does, Kirino…?"

Kirino shook his head on his shoulder. "I-I can't tell you…"

Shindou bit his lip, torn between urging him and staying true to his own words. "Kirino-"

Both boys flinched when a crash of thunder cut him off, hovering right above them. Shindou and Kirino lifted their heads, watching how dark clouds started to cover the moon, and realized a thunderstorm was approaching. Staying in the middle of a forest during such weather conditions might be dangerous.

Just as they pulled out of the embrace, slowly and reluctantly, rain began to pour on their heads, the drops thick and heavy. The boys got soaked at the spot, looking each other deeply in the eye. What remained of Kirino's tears soon became indistinguishable from the rain, but to Shindou's relief, he had managed to stop sobbing. He was about to say something when his friend spoke up himself: "Shindou… I'm sorry for keeping it from you…" He took a step closer, never breaking eye contact with the brunet, his glance firm and the rain gluing his clothes to his skin. He felt like he could say it now. Shindou meant too much to him to hide this any longer, he meant more to him than he realized. And as he had just shown him, Shindou would be there for him regardless. Lying to his best friend like this would equal betrayal. So Kirino decided not to.

The three words he uttered were nearly inaudible due to the thunder.

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><p><strong>AN: Hope you enjoyed so far, everyone! I promise I'll update soon! As usual, please review!**


	3. The Danger and The Kiss

**A/N: Everyone, thank you so much for all the reviews! I'm so grateful, you guys are great! -heart- I truly hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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><p>Tenma opened his eyes with a grunt, needing a moment to recall what happened. Just as he noticed he was lying on something rather soft, he remembered his fall down a steep hill, and how he had dragged Tsurugi along because of their entwined hands… Tenma shifted his eyes upwards, noting something dark was blocking his sight. He placed his hand on it and it instantly gave way. The moment Tenma realized it was Tsurugi's cape covering him from harm, he noticed he was lying on none other than his savior. With his hands intact on Tenma's head and back, Tsurugi's eyes were closed and his mouth slightly open, but he said nothing. He was unconscious, and with his cape removed, the rain started drenching him from head to toe.<p>

"Tsurugi!" Tenma instantly sat up, causing the other boy's hands to fall off and land in the grass. He started to shake him by the shoulders, his eyes with in panic. "Tsurugi! Tsurugi, wake up!"

He didn't know how relieved he was when he heard a groan escape from Tsurugi's lips, and a moment later, the boy opened his eyes. He frowned at the rain that hit his skin and pushed himself up with one hand, placing the other on his face. "Ow…" he muttered, rubbing the bruise on his cheek.

"Tsurugi!" Tenma wrapped his arms around his neck and pushed him back on the ground. Tsurugi widened his eyes, the action happening too fast for his brain to process. He was suddenly on his back, with Tenma on top of him, his arms trapping him in a tight hug. Even though he still felt a bit dizzy from the fall, his current position was enough to shake him wide awake. Tsurugi felt his cheeks burn and his heart race for a reason he didn't know. There it was again, that odd feeling, that feeling that had told him to be happy when Tenma took his hand, and was now doing the same thing in regards to his embrace. What was this impact the brunet had on him…?

"M-Matsukaze-" he started, stammering.

"Thank goodness! Thank goodness you're okay!" Tenma retracted his arms and sat up, beaming a smile at the other boy. "Thank you so much, Tsurugi… You saved me."

Tsurugi needed a mere second for the images to flash through his mind. Not only had he given his hand to Tenma, he had offered his entire body, holding him close and trying to protect him with all his might… He remembered the way Tenma felt against him, how he refused to let him go until they were safe again… His dizziness instantly vanished.

"Matsukaze," he repeated, his voice so stern that it made Tenma flinch. Tsurugi pushed the other boy aside and sat up again, avoiding eye contact. He could still feel his heart pound inside his chest, and the questions it brought with its beats confused and frustrated him to no end. He had thought of Tenma as a nuisance when they met, and just when they'd become friends, the brunet started to annoy him again. At least he knew why he couldn't stand him at first: his persistence about the importance of soccer had caused his blood to boil more than once. But now that they were on an equal level as teammates, friends even, why did Tenma aggravate him like this, with his actions, his words, his mere smile?

Tenma himself tilted his head slightly, having no idea what went on in Tsurugi's mind. In his eyes, thanking Tsurugi for what he did was only appropriate, even if he was surprised that the boy had gone as far as this. Tsurugi had really warmed up a lot to him and the others the past few months, but he still kept that cold, distant charm that constantly surrounded him. Tenma never realized his heart was big enough for him to set his pride aside and go to such lengths to protect him. Thinking all of this through caused a blush of equal depth to Tsurugi's to hit his cheeks.

"Uhm… thank you," he repeated, his happiness replaced with awkwardness. He wondered why recalling the accident, particularly the feeling of Tsurugi's embrace, caused a warm sensation to float through his chest.

"Yeah," Tsurugi muttered, and he looked at Tenma when he felt his blush die down. "You okay?"

Tenma nodded. "I'm fine. What about you?"

"I think I have a couple of sore spots, but at least nothing's bleeding," Tsurugi grimaced. He was about to get up when there was a sudden hand touching his lips, a hand that wasn't his. His face instantly changed colour and he quickly ripped Tenma's hand away. "W-what are you doing?"

"Your lower lip is bleeding," Tenma pointed out worriedly. "It's all over your chin."

Tsurugi quickly checked and frowned when his red fingertips confirmed the other boy's words. He wiped his chin with the back of his hand, not too worried, but when he saw the Tenma frown deepen by the second, he quickly stammered: "I-it's fine, it's fine. It's just a little cut, it doesn't hurt. Let's go."

Tenma followed his example in getting up, concern still visible on his face. His expression changed, however, as soon as he spotted a familiar object lying a few meters away from them.

"My soccerball!" A smile instantly brightened his face as Tenma ran over and picked it up. Tsurugi could only shake his head when the other boy held the ball close to his chest, smiling a little himself. "You never change, do you, Tenma?"

Tenma instantly froze and gaped at his friend, his eyes going wide. "Did you just call me Tenma…?"

Tsurugi almost bit his lip when he recalled his choice of words, but then remembered it was already bleeding. Not knowing where to look, he stared off to the side and stuttered: "M-Matsukaze! I said Matsukaze!"

Tenma laughed. "No, you used my first name!" He skipped back to the other boy, a cheerful smile on his face. "I'm glad! You haven't called me that since we first met."

Tsurugi knew exactly what he meant. When the two of them first encountered each other and engaged in a soccer contest, he hadn't hesitated one bit to use Tenma's first name, expecting himself to despise the boy for the rest of the time they'd spend together. However, now that they'd become actual friends, the memory embarrassed him greatly, and he dared not even consider talking to Tenma in that smug tone again. Tsurugi squeezed his eyes shut, wishing his burning cheeks away. Damn, he was such an idiot…

Tsurugi perked up when Tenma asked: "Hey, since you called me Tenma, can I call you Kyousuke from now on?"

Tsurugi thought his cheeks imploded. He abruptly turned his head back to the brunet and snapped: "A-absolutely not!"

"Awww, why not?" Tenma pouted. "You can use my first name but I can't use yours?"

"T-that's right!" Tsurugi stammered, not exactly thinking through his words. "Now stop nagging about this subject and get a move o-"

The boys both jumped when thunder roared above their heads and reminded them the current storm wasn't a good moment to bicker. Seeing as the fog stopped on top of the hill, they had no problem finding a tree for shelter. Tenma frowned as he watched the pouring rain, squeezing his ball like before. "Tsurugi… It's dangerous to hide under a tree with this weather."

"I know that," Tsurugi mumbled, burying his hands in his pockets. Even though he hated the feeling of being soaking wet, he was inwardly relieved that the storm had interrupted their conversation. "But it's just as dangerous to be out in the open."

Tenma turned his head to him. "Perhaps we should call captain."

Tsurugi looked back at him, hesitant about agreeing. He couldn't wait to strangle Kurama for dragging them through this messed up game, but at the same time, calling for help meant defeat, and he knew his senior wouldn't leave them alone for the rest of the holiday in that case. They'd manage, it was only rain. They could just take a warm bath and put on clean clothes once they reached the bungalow.

Tsurugi opened his mouth, about to voice his thoughts, when he saw Tenma petrify at the spot. The colour in his face slowly got sucked away as he lifted a trembling arm, pointing straight past Tsurugi. His lips parted, trying to utter an actual word through his stammering, and his eyes widened with fear. Tsurugi slowly turned around, wondering what could be so terrifying, and looked straight into the crimson-coloured eyes of a young boy. A freckled boy their age with black hair in an unfinished knot, emanating a dark aura, and flashing the eeriest of smiles as the rain went straight through him. "Hey… let's play soccer."

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><p>Shindou hadn't spoken a word since Kirino told him his secret, and neither had his friend for that matter. The two continued to gaze at each other uninterruptedly, the only current sound being the rain as it rushed through the forest. Shindou wanted to answer his friend, he really did. He had heard Kirino's words loud and clear. But seeing as his thoughts were scrambled, it was impossible for him to formulate proper sentences. His heart was beating like mad and he felt way too much blood rush to his head. Kirino just told him he loved him, and he had no idea how to respond. He had no idea how to handle this situation, because of all speculations he'd come up with in regards to Kirino's secrecy, not one came the tiniest bit close to the three words that were playing with his head. Shindou kept wondering if he heard wrong, if his ears were deceiving him. Kirino's confession echoed through his mind over and over, and while he didn't understand what was going on, he finally comprehended why Kirino had been so desperate to avoid him.<p>

Sensing his friend's inner struggle, Kirino flashed a small smile. If not the same feelings, they at least shared the same position, both of their heads completely diffused. He felt his own heart race inside his chest, and he was well aware of the enormous blush that decorated his cheeks. But unlike Shindou, each heartbeat brought with it a small sting, conveying his fear that with every silent second that passed, an acceptance was fading further away.

Eventually, Kirino took a step backward, still sending Shindou that sad smile. He placed his foot in the middle of a puddle, but he barely even noticed, let alone cared. He was soaking wet as it was, and his heart was close to crumbling. He didn't care about anything right now.

"Well… Let's go to the bungalow," Kirino forced the words out. He turned around and was about to go for a sprint, but Shindou caught his wrist just in time. The pink-haired boy felt panic take control of his body, suddenly very afraid of a rejection. Without making eye contact, he tried to rip his wrist out of Shindou's grasp, but the brunet held on tight.

"Kirino! Don't run away!" Shindou yelled through the rain, afraid the words might not reach his friend if he didn't shout them out loud.

"Let go of me, Shindou!" Kirino screamed back. As he pulled and pulled, he failed to keep his tears back any longer, and he started to cry without caring how much it embarrassed him. He partially wished they would take his feelings out with them as they ran down his cheeks. No more loving Shindou for his strength and kindness, no more admiring his skills and leadership, no more adoring his beautiful looks or being captivated by his brown curls softly blowing in the wind.

"Kirino!" Shindou exclaimed. He had to press his shoes firmly into the muddy ground if he didn't want Kirino to drag him along. "I'm not going to reject you!"

Those words seemed to have an effect. Kirino halted his effort in trying to escape from his friend's grip, suspecting there might be a bruise from resisting so much in the first place. He remained at the same spot, his head lowered and his free hand hanging at his side. He still refused to look at Shindou, and even though he wasn't sobbing like before, tears were still flowing from his eyes.

Shindou sighed in relief when Kirino stopped moving and carefully let go of his wrist, hoping he hadn't pinched it too much. He slowly passed the other boy and went to stand right in front of him, leaving only a small gap in between. He cared just as little about the puddle that was now wetting his jeans. He hesitated, but then lifted his hand and took Kirino's chin between his fingers. As he gently lifted his best friend's head, he smiled comfortingly, almost lovingly, trying to tone down the fear swimming in Kirino's eyes.

"Ranmaru…" he whispered. He shifted his hands to Kirino's cheeks, his fingers brushing through his hair, and let their foreheads touch without thinking too much about what he was doing. "… I'm so sorry for putting you through this. If I had realized sooner… I apologize for causing you pain. I didn't want to pressure you like this…"

Kirino shut his eyes and sniffed a couple of times, touched by his words. He couldn't believe that even now, amidst a thunderstorm and a complete emotional chaos, Shindou was still thinking of him, considering what he was going through. This was his best friend… His best friend, whom he'd grown to love so dearly. Even if the brunet didn't speak the words he longed to hear, he could feel an almost uncontainable gratitude build up inside of him, just for how much Shindou cared for him.

Shindou couldn't help but widen his smile at Kirino's awestruck eyes, and he shut his own for a moment, trying to voice his thoughts properly. "Ranmaru… I can't say with certainty what I feel for you. But I know it's… not just friendship. I've always considered you my best friend, but I can't deny there have been times that… I felt peculiar around you. I never really stopped to analyze it, but… Ranmaru, when you told me you loved me, I couldn't help… but feel extremely happy. Even if it was just for a second."

Kirino exhaled a gasp, and his eyes slowly went wide. What was this odd turn the conversation was taking? It was getting closer to his wishes than he expected. He sniffed once more and took a deep breath before he finally spoke again: "S-Shindou…"

Shindou moved his thumb to Kirino's lips and gently brushed them from left to right. Not to make him stop talking, just… because he felt like it. Because that was the thing he wanted to do. He wanted to touch Kirino's lips, his cheeks, his face and entire body, starting to realize that there was nothing wrong with such a desire. He knew it wasn't a common thing for best friends to do, and although he wasn't entirely sure of the level of affection he possessed for Kirino, it slowly dawned on him how close he actually wanted them to be.

Shindou halted his train of thought for a moment. He stopped pondering what might be right or wrong, stopped wondering what exactly he felt for his friend. He decided to act purely on his current emotions, which were telling him the two of them weren't close enough in spite of the lack of space between them. He removed his thumb to make way for his lips, which slowly closed in on Kirino's.

The pink-haired boy didn't resist at all. Even if he wanted to, it proved to be difficult when his body froze entirely under the touch of Shindou's lips. An immense blush spread across his face and his eyes went wide in disbelief. How could this be happening…? Wasn't Shindou going to reject him? Tell him he appreciated his feelings but could never return them? How was it possible that he was kissing him right now? How was it possible that Kirino shut his eyes and eagerly returned the kiss? He hardly believed the kiss was deepening as the two embraced each other. It was impossible that Shindou took control of the situation and returned the favor from before, pressing him against the closest tree and pinning his wrists beside his head. It was impossible, and yet… it was happening. Kirino didn't believe it, but he felt so fulfilled, so blissful at the very same time. "Shindou… Shindou…" he chanted when they both needed a moment to catch their breath. Teal eyes met brown and Kirino couldn't help but release a few more tears when he saw Shindou's tender smile.

The brunet brought one hand to his cheeks, leaving the other entwined with Kirino's against the tree. He wiped away his friend's tears one by one, waiting patiently until the other boy's eyes dried. He leaned closer in the meantime, gently nuzzling their noses together. This caused Kirino to exhale a small hiccup and giggle right after, obviously shaken up by what just happened between them. Still, there was a newfound happiness in his eyes, and Shindou stopped to think how cute he actually looked when he was smiling like this, cheerfully, carefree. He tensed up slightly as well when he realized he just locked lips with his best friend. This was one thing he had _not_ expected to happen during their test of courage. Shindou couldn't help but chuckle himself and pressed their foreheads together again, his eyes shut. He had just kissed Kirino Ranmaru on the lips… and he wanted to do it a second time.

That was when his cell phone started vibrating inside his pocket. Disappointed, the brunet took a step back and took out his phone to see who it was. When the screen told him it was Tsurugi, he blinked in surprise. Had something happened to him and Tenma? Deciding he had to take this, he kept his other hand entwined with Kirino's, gently squeezing them together. Kirino smiled and he smiled back before he pressed the phone against his ear. "Tsuru-" He was nearly deafened by the familiar voice that screamed right into his ear.

"Get out of here! The soccer-loving ghost is real!"

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><p><strong>AN: SUSPSENSSSE. Hope you liked this chapter, everyone! Oh, and for those who don't believe me: Tsurugi really_ does_ call Tenma by his first name in the very first episode. XD Please review and see you soon~!**


	4. The Rescue and The Battle

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews (well, most of them)! I'm happy you guys like the story so far! Enjoy this chapter, everyone!**

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><p>Tsurugi made his way through the forest, jumping over a fallen tree and pulling Tenma along. The two had joined hands again, but this time, the situation wasn't as calm as they wished. The boys ran for dear life as a third one followed right behind. The young male was floating rather than running, even though he was using his feet. He giggled maniacally every few seconds and transparent soccerballs popped up at his sides, surrounded by the same purple-ish glow the child possessed. The balls hovered in front of their owner at random, waiting in line as he filled them with power and used his right foot to send them straight at his prey.<p>

Tenma and Tsurugi managed to hear the balls coming in spite of their great speed and succeeded in dodging them, getting the shock of their life when the balls hit a tree instead and went straight through, the immense impact enough to cause the target to fall over and make the surface shudder beneath their feet. The rain had toned down at this point, but the boys still found the ground was extremely slippery, and the lower halves of their jeans had already been covered in mud splatters.

Probably pinching Tenma's hand so tightly it hurt, Tsurugi held his phone to his ear to warn his captain. He knew this was the worst of times to have a conversation of any kind, let alone through the phone, but if that hissatsu the ghost was using behind them was the technique Kurama said was the one that separated the soul from the body, everyone in this forest was in grave danger.

"W-wow, Tsurugi, calm down," Shindou stammered on the other side of the line. "What are you talking about?"

"It's the ghost Kurama talked about!" Tsurugi was so panicked that he promptly forgot to use the appropriate honorific for his senior. "It's chasing us!"

"Wha—Is this some sort of joke?" Shindou clearly didn't believe a word he was saying.

"It's not a joke, dammit!" Tsurugi shouted, holding his phone so tightly that he looked ready to crush it. "It's attacking us with that hissatsu Kurama mentioned!"

"Hissatsu? Are you sure it's not someone in a costume?"

Tsurugi was about to answer him when another purple ball flew towards them. He turned his head, his eyes wide when he saw how close it was, and instantly focused on a more important matter than alerting his captain. Losing hold of the phone, he placed his hand on Tenma's head and pressed him down, shouting a "Duck!" as they went for the ground. While Tenma landed safely, albeit losing hold of his soccerball, Tsurugi suddenly felt a sharp pain in his right leg, a pain so intense that it made him scream in agony.

Tenma, who had his eyes shut due to the sudden action, opened them upon hearing Tsurugi's cry and let out a gasp when he saw the cause of his friend's pain. Tsurugi had grasped onto his leg, which was visible through the ripped jeans and bleeding vividly. He squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth, trying desperately to withstand the pain.

"Tsurugi! Tsurugi!" Tenma sat up and reached out for him, but then wondered what he could actually do. He had no medical skills and even if he did, the ghost had easily caught up with them due to this interruption. Tenma looked up with fearful eyes when the boy stopped at a two-meter distance, staring at him with an ominous smile. Holding up one of his soccerballs, he giggled and repeated: "Let's play soccer!"

Tenma, completely terrified, failed to do anything other than stare back, until Tsurugi's words reached his ears. He instantly focused on his friend again, whose body was twitching uncontrollably. "T-Tenma… Run…"

Tenma regained the ability to move when he heard him say that and immediately shook his head. "No way! I'm not leaving you behind!"

"You idiot!" Tsurugi managed to raise his voice in spite of his current position. "Don't you realize how dangerous this is? Run away! Go! D-don't…" He paused for a moment, but then spoke up again with tears in his eyes, not entirely from the pain. "Don't let my efforts to protect you go to waste!"

Tenma was awestruck by what he heard. He didn't know why, but Tsurugi's words had an enormous impact on him. They touched his heart and filled his chest with warmth, a warmth that gave him the strength to refuse to run… and return the favor instead.

"Don't worry," he answered, lowering his head. "I won't let them go to waste…" Tenma slowly got up, gazing into the forest for a moment. Tsurugi and the ghost looked at him in surprise, and both let out a gasp when the brunet turned to the transparent boy and determinedly spread his arms. "… this time, I'll protect you instead!"

Tsurugi was at a loss for words. What was up with this boy? Was this the same boy who cowered in fear during the first half of their test of courage? The same boy who barely even dared to gaze into the darkness and needed his beloved soccerball in order to comfort him? Why wasn't he running? Why wasn't he crying in terror? Didn't he realize the danger he was in? He couldn't be _that _naïve. Tsurugi couldn't stand it, the vehemence before him. It made him feel like a coward, a weakling. He wouldn't be able to stand by Tenma's side due to his injured leg. What pained him even more, though, was the mere idea of this boy getting hurt in any way. He couldn't allow it, he wouldn't. He didn't know why, but he wanted do anything to keep Tenma from harm.

"Tenma…" he groaned, and he used one hand to grasp his friend's leg. "Don't do this…"

Tenma glanced down at his friend, looking surprisingly confident. "Don't worry, Kyousuke-kun," he answered, and he kneeled down to take Tsurugi's hand and squeeze it gently. As he tilted his head with a sweet, tender smile, he added: "It'll work out somehow!"

While Tsurugi once again failed to get his train of thought in order, the ghost gaped at the boys almost blankly, not saying anything. Suddenly, a frown crossed his face and he held out his soccerball with both hands. "Let's… let's play soccer?" he suggested, almost pleaded.

Tenma flicked his eyes to him again, narrowing them slowly. He looked like he was about run for the ghost boy and lash out at him, but instead, he opened his mouth and exclaimed: "I'll never play soccer with you!"

The ghost flinched and sent him a startled stare, suddenly looking very vulnerable. "W-what?"

"Your way of soccer disgusts me!" Tenma shouted, and he pointed a firm finger at his face. "You use it to hurt others! You don't care what happens to them, you only think of yourself! Your selfish behavior makes soccer cry! You're betraying soccer! I'll never play with someone like you!"

The ghost's facial features showed a contrasting side of him compared to his sadistic appearance from a minute ago. He moved his fingers like he wanted to drill them through the ball and his eyes went so big that he looked like he was about to cry. But then, his eyebrows instantly lowered and his teeth gritted, and he sent Tenma a vicious glare. The brunet wisely took a step back when he saw the other boy place the ball at his feet and lift one of them from the ground. "I… want… to play… SOCCER!"

In the course of the few seconds he needed to power up his ball, Tenma realized he'd make a mistake angering the ghost. He would abandon soccer before abandoning Tsurugi, but they could impossibly move fast enough to dodge this attack. Acting on his one and only impulse, he turned his back to their threat and sank back on his knees. He leaned forward and covered Tsurugi with his body, wrapping his arms around the other boy's torso. Tsurugi, unable to move, let alone wriggle out of his grasp, widened his eyes as Tenma shut his and braced himself for the impact that came closer and closer. The ex-Seed didn't care about himself, he merely cared about his friend, whom he only grew to love more due to his bravery. He was doing everything he could to protect him, he couldn't lose his soul before his eyes! He couldn't die, he couldn't…!

"TENMAAA!"

Tsurugi's scream went in unison with another that was shouted a few meters away. The boys instantly recognized this second shout, and not even a second after hearing it, they saw how the ghost ball got pushed out of its path by another ball – Tenma's ball. While another tree succumbed to the combined shoot of Fortissimo and the ghost's hissatsu, all three boys, their jaws dropped in shock, stared in the direction Tenma's ball had come from.

The Raimon captain, followed by the pink-haired defender, soon appeared on the scene. Seeing as the ghost was too dumbfounded to do anything, they took advantage of his idleness by running over to their friends. As Kirino sat down to inspect Tsurugi's injury, Shindou went to stand firmly before his teammates, sending an intimate glare the ghost boy's way. "You!" he exclaimed, pointing at him like Tenma had done. "What do you think you're doing to our precious friends?"

The ghost just gaped at him, reverting to his blank state from before. And just like then, his eyes grew and his mouth curled into a sorrowful frown, making him appear like a helpless little boy. He snatched one of the ghost balls that were still in line between his hands and reached out for the captain, as if to prove his point when he spoke, no, whimpered: "I-I… just want to play soccer…"

Just as Shindou opened his mouth, Tenma shouted behind him: "Don't answer, captain! If you anger him, he'll shoot again!"

Shindou turned his head to him. "What?" He then remembered making conversation with a bipolar ghost wasn't his priority in the first place. He took a quick look at Tsurugi's wound, concluding he wouldn't be able to walk or that it at least wouldn't be wise, and then nodded at Kirino. "Do it."

"Yes!" Kirino, much to Tenma and Tsurugi's surprise, suddenly started to dash for the ghost, who looked just as shocked at the boy's abrupt approach. The defender made a small wave with his arms and uttered the words he was infamous for: "The Mist!" He summoned a thick fog behind him, which caught up and surrounded both him at the ghost. Kirino turned his head in direction of his friends and shouted: "Takuto! Now!"

"Okay!" Shindou shouted back. He grabbed Tsurugi by the ankles and told Tenma: "You take his shoulders. We're retreating!"

Tenma hesitated for a moment, but when he saw Kirino's silhouette run towards them, he knew they'd all be able to leave safely, or as safely as they could. He followed Shindou's command and lifted Tsurugi, who had a hard time keeping his eyes open, by the shoulders. As the four boys made a run for it, they heard the ghost, stuck in the mist, utter countless pleas: "Wait! Don't leave me! I don't want to be alone! I want to play soccer…! Please…!"

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><p>Tsurugi sat on his butt and leaned against a tree once he was back on the ground. He was the only one not panting due to exhaustion after he and his friends created a healthy distance between them and the soccer-loving ghost. However, while Shindou, Kirino and Tenma just needed a moment to catch their breath, the cut in his leg insisted on complaining, making him cringe in pain whenever he tried to move it. Tsurugi gritted his teeth. Dammit. He wouldn't be able to help his teammates this way.<p>

He eventually looked up at his seniors and asked: "How did you know where we were?"

Shindou shook his head. "We didn't. I thought it was some sort of joke until I heard a crash nearby, and there was merely a rush on the phone after that. I figured you weren't lying, so we came to help."

"Of course I wasn't lying," Tsurugi hissed. He checked his injury and felt slightly relieved when he saw the bleeding had stopped. Still, he decided the wound would be better off covered up and released his cape. It was still wet from the rain but it was better than nothing. Tsurugi tried to reach his lower leg with his hands, but he almost tore up everytime he tried to bend his leg. Just as he was about to curse at this stupid problem, someone kneeled in front of him and took over the cape.

"Tenma…" Tsurugi muttered, watching in slight awe as the boy took the job upon himself. He shut one eye at the pain when the cape got wrapped around his leg, but he could see Tenma was trying his best to be careful.

"Tsurugi… I'm sorry," he muttered, speaking in such a low tone that only the ex-Seed could hear it. "It's because of me you got hurt… I'm sorry."

Tsurugi let out a sigh. He had seen this coming, but he never blamed Tenma for what happened, not even a bit. He shut his eyes and placed a hand on his shoulder to catch his attention. "Tenma… Don't apologize. I chose to do what I did on my own. I'm just glad… you're safe." He lowered his head, his cheeks going warm when he spoke those last words. It was safe to say he didn't just see Tenma as a friend. He wanted to protect him without limits, and just envisioning him harmed caused his chest to hurt. He didn't feel this strongly for anyone else. He didn't know what it was, but… he cared for Tenma, dearly.

The brunet looked up at him, touched. He wasn't used to Tsurugi being this considerate; it was like he had been with a new side of him since the start of the test of courage. He had always looked up to the other boy for his strength and determinacy, but he rarely expressed it for anyone other than himself. However, all Tsurugi had paid attention to tonight was Tenma, wanting him to be safe and comfortable. Tenma placed his hand over his chest for a moment, listening to the rapid beating of his heart. Tsurugi was more to him than a friend… He made him smile, he made him feel light and safe, and most importantly, he made him feel strong and loved.

"Kyousuke-kun…" he whispered, and to his surprise, Tsurugi answered him with an encouraging smile. Tenma couldn't help but smile back, but perked up when Shindou spoke up behind him: "We've got to think of something. That… thing is probably looking for us. We only managed to buy a little time."

"Ghosts are on this world when they have unfinished business, right?" Tenma asked.

Tsurugi snorted sarcastically behind him. "What, so his unfinished business is soccer?"

Tenma turned his head to the blue-haired boy and continued: "If we find out what he wants from us, we might be able to let him pass on peacefully."

Kirino shook his head, his arms crossed. "Talking to him isn't an option. He may look vulnerable, but he's just as dangerous as Kurama described. He'll get you if he sees an opening."

"Besides, you saw how much your traditional speech affected him," Tsurugi remarked, unimpressed. "I don't think he approved."

Tenma frowned at him. "But it's true. The way he uses soccer is wrong."

Tsurugi raised an eyebrow. "I doubt he cares. He's dead. He doesn't give a crap about what's right and wrong."

"Takuto," Kirino said, looking at his best friend, "where is the bungalow? Perhaps we can warn the others, or ask them for help."

Shindou took in his surroundings and then shook his head with a sigh. "The bungalow is over there," he pointed into the direction they came from. "And so is the ghost. If either side tries to reach the other, they'll run straight into him. We can't endanger the others too."

"Dammit," Tsurugi hissed, stomping his unharmed foot into the ground. "I'll kill Kurama for his stupid story, and his stupid ideas."

"Now, now," Shindou soothed, flashing an awkward smile. "It's not like he's the one who conjured the ghost. He just told us the story. And he was actually the first one to tell us that it's real."

"As if he knew what he was talking about!" Tsurugi snapped, leaning forward. He groaned when that turned out to be a bad idea and moved back against the tree, glaring at his injured leg.

"If we can't reason with him, the only option left… is to fight him, isn't it?" Tenma muttered reluctantly.

Shindou followed Kirino's example and crossed his own arms. "I'm afraid so. It won't be easy. That boy seems to have an indefinite arsenal of soccerballs and we know what they're capable of. We left Tenma's ball where we confronted the ghost, so we have none… The only thing we can do is to counter those balls of his, but… they're powerful. I don't think I would've managed to stop that last ball if I hadn't used my hissatsu."

"But we have something he doesn't!" Tenma raised his voice excitedly. "Our Keshins! We should be at an equal level if we use our Keshins!"

"That's true…" Shindou nodded. "But we'll have to act fast if we summon our Keshins. We can only last so long when they drain our power they way they do."

"One shot should be enough, right?" Tsurugi said. "If it only takes one shot to steal our soul, it should be the same if we want him to disappear."

"Will that actually work, though?" Kirino asked, flicking his eyes across the group. "He doesn't even have a soul to steal. Who says the ball won't go straight through him?"

"But if his unfinished business really is soccer, doesn't that mean we just have to accept a match with him and he'll be at peace?" Tenma brought up.

Shindou shook his head a second time. "A match with him could cost us our lives. His shoots are seriously dangerous. Besides, according to Kurama's story, he should've gathered an army of players by now. If he still wants more, playing soccer won't cut it. He'll probably never be satisfied regardless of the amount of players he has."

"We'll be in serious danger either way, though…" Tsurugi leaned his head against the tree, exhaling a sigh. "It's like an evil version of Tenma. Neither of you knows when to quit, except he hurts you if you reject him."

"Hey!" Tenma protested while Shindou and Kirino snickered behind him. The Raimon captain grinned a little and said: "By the way, you two seem to be on a first name base now… Did something happen before you met the ghost?"

Tenma and Tsurugi both looked at their seniors with increasingly red cheeks. Tenma was about to answer him, but Tsurugi blabbed a "Nothing!" and pinched the brunet's shoulder as if to warn him he better not tell them the truth. "Besides, we could ask you the same thing," he stroke back, raising an eyebrow again. He looked at Kirino and clarified: "You keep calling captain Takuto."

Kirino gave him a busted look and then started to admire the trees. "Ah, that…" he smiled nervously, scratching his red cheek with his index finger.

Shindou sent him a sympathetic glance. They never discussed this issue during their little moment, but he didn't mind Kirino's choice. After all, they were best friends at _least_, hearing him call him by his first name only made him happy. The brunet then reminded himself this wasn't the time to talk about such light-hearted things and returned to the matter at hand: "… Kirino. You don't possess a Keshin. It may be hazardous if you join the fight."

Kirino looked at him, almost angrily. "I won't let the two of you go alone. I want to help."

"But what about Tsurugi?" Tenma asked worriedly. "We can't just leave him here on his own."

Tsurugi frowned in disapproval and brought his hand to Tenma's cheek, squeezing it playfully. "Don't underestimate me. I'm pissed at is it is that I can't bring out Kensei Lancelot. Don't take me lightly by assuming I can't take care of myself."

Tenma rubbed his sore cheek with a frown, but when he saw the mischievous look on Tsurugi's face, he couldn't help but smile and nod at him. "You're right." Tenma then moved closer, instantly causing Tsurugi's expression to jump to shock instead. His eyes went wide as the other boy's hands slithered onto his cheeks and his lips slowly came in contact with his forehead, planting a gentle kiss on his skin. Tsurugi could only gawk at Tenma in dumbfoundedness when he pulled back, beaming a confident smile in spite of his red cheeks, a trait he shared tenfold. "… wait for me, Kyousuke-kun."

Tsurugi didn't know what else to do but nod, filled with disbelief about what Tenma had just done. He actually kissed him… and not only that, he completely accepted it. Not one moment had he possessed the urge to resist, to push the boy away. No, he had opened himself up him, deliberately, willingly, and enjoyed the contact between the two of them. This fact embarrassed him greatly, and yet… when Tsurugi saw Tenma's smile, his tension seemed to fade into calmness, his mind accepting the situation.

Once Tenma got back on his feet, the three boys joined up in a line and started to walk in the direction they had come from. While Shindou and Kirino looked ahead sternly, Tenma lowered his head. His smile had vanished as soon as Tsurugi couldn't see his face anymore, and he bit his lip in attempt to hold his tears back. If they lost, they would never see each other again… While he was motivated to battle the ghost, this thought tormented his head with pressure and made him wish he had done much more than give Tsurugi a simple kiss. He wanted to hug him, thank him for everything, hold his hand and feel his touch again…

Tenma perked up when Shindou placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling confidently. "Don't worry," he said, making Tenma realize his concern was probably readable on his face. "We'll definitely win. If that's how soccer wants it, things will work out somehow, isn't that what you always say?"

Tenma opened his mouth in awe. "Captain…" He turned his head to his other side, where Kirino smiled at him just as brightly. "Kirino-senpai…" Tenma glanced down for a moment, realizing his captain was right. Soccer was by their side, as it always was. He was going to fight for himself, for soccer, and for Tsurugi. There was no question of whether they'd meet again, because they would. Tenma was going to show his gratitude to Tsurugi through this fight, and after that, he'd take care of his leg as much as he had to. This wasn't the last moment he had the chance to kiss him; there would be many, many more.

Bearing that in mind, Tenma slapped his cheeks and raised his head, staring so intensely into the forest that it looked like he was daring the trees to come at him. "You're right! It'll work out! Everything will work out!"

The three boys nearly flinched when an eerie giggle answered those words. They turned to their left and saw a familiar figure approach them from the bushes, a soccerball in his hand. Still giving off a threatening aura, the soccer-loving ghost lifted his head and smiled cheerfully, nearly deceiving the Raimon members with his innocent appearance. "I've found new friends to play soccer with!"

Shindou took a step forward and spread an arm in front of Tenma and Kirino, almost out of automatism. Even when he wasn't wearing his captain strap, his sense of responsibility for the team never ceased. "We won't play soccer with you," he replied strictly. "We want you to stop hurting people."

The ghost's chirpy smile instantly disappeared. He didn't grow angry like last time, but instead looked plain confused. "Huh?"

"That shoot of yours is killing people," Shindou clarified, lowering his eyebrows. "You're doing something awful. It has to stop. You're no longer part of the living, you need to move on."

Still incapable of understanding the older boy's words, the ghost gazed at his ball for a moment. He then looked up with an innocent face, a face that could jump to either rage or sadness in a second. But instead of speaking, he suddenly tossed the ball at the other boys, so gently it landed in front of them.

Tenma, Shindou and Kirino all took a step back, wanting as little contact with those haunted things as possible. When they focused back from the ball to the boy, they saw him frown like he was ready to cry. "Soccer… is fun," he mumbled, placing an index finger on his lips. "Can we play soccer…?"

The three boys barely had time to blink before transparent soccerballs appeared in mid-air, dancing around them in circles. Just as the ghost's frown changed into an astoundingly evil smirk and he cackled "We can play soccer, can't we?", the balls started to swing between the boys, separating them from each other. They each had to step in a different direction if they didn't want the balls, which were racing at a mad speed, to hit them. The movements of the balls caused the ground to stir up and a wind to blow mud and pebbles at them. While the boys attempted to cover their faces and keep an eye on the mad ghost in the meantime, he picked up the ball he was originally holding and screamed, all the while laughing insanely, "Yes, that's right! We're going to play soccer forever and ever!"

"Will you… cut it out!"

The soccer-loving ghost let out a startled cry when one of his summoned ball flew at his face. He only just managed to dodge it and stared at Tenma, who stared back angrily. Due to his interruption, the ghost lost control of the other balls and they dropped lifelessly beside the boys, bouncing away. Shindou and Kirino also looked at Tenma in shock. He had apparently managed to catch one of the balls entrapping him and send it back to its owner, not only keeping up with its speed but also being able to surpass the ghost in control of the ball.

"How… how did you know you could touch it?" Kirino looked at the transparent balls, then back at the other boy. "Wasn't your foot supposed to go straight through?"

Tenma kept his eyes on the ghost boy as he spoke, visibly fuming with anger. "I figured it out. We can touch them as soon as he puts power into them, because that's when he wants them to hit something. That's why captain's Fortissimo also managed to touch his ball before." He clenched his fists and added: "Kirino-senpai… You were right. I kept on hoping we could talk him out of what he's doing, but…" Tenma held his hands at his sides as a dark blue aura emerged from his back. "… it looks like we have to fight!"

Shindou and Kirino were nearly blown back by Majin Pegasus's arrival. An even stronger wind than the one the ghost had conjured rushed through the forest as Tenma's aura took form and grew above the trees. His Keshin brought out his wings and let out an intimidating roar, which seemed to have its effect on the soccer-loving ghost. The boy's red eyes went wide in shock, fear even, as he took a few steps back and stared at Tenma's trusted companion. "Wha… what is that?" he exclaimed.

Shindou and Kirino looked at each other. He didn't know what a Keshin was?

Tenma completely ignored the question and stepped forward, compensating for the extra gap the ghost had made with his withdrawal. His fists still clenched tightly, he pierced a furious gaze into the boy's eyes and hissed: "You killed kids who meant no harm… you threatened my friends, and you misused soccer. But most of all, you hurt Tsurugi… and that is _unforgivable_!"

The words seemed to hit the ghost like a wake-up slap. He shook his head some and returned to his manic form, glaring at the brunet. He lifted his hands and opened them, calling all of his balls back and keeping them at his sides. When he let one hover right in front of his feet and surrounded it with a purple glow, Shindou widened his eyes and looked at Tenma. "Look out! He's going to shoot!"

Tenma kept his focus on the ghost, not looking the least bit scared. "I can take it… I can take anything he throws at me. I'll fight for what I hold dear!" He began to run towards the ball that had just been launched and was going straight for him. As he shouted "I'll fight for Tsurugi!" his foot came in contact with the ball, instantly stopping it. The ball tried its hardest to push Tenma out of the way, but the boy tried a little harder. With a furious cry, he turned the tables and sent the ball back to its owner, who had to duck if he didn't want his face damaged.

Tenma, while still looking enraged, started to pant a bit and looked like he was about to fall over after his impact with the ghost ball. Shindou and Kirino ran over to him and the defender asked: "Tenma! Are you okay?"

Tenma sent his seniors a smile and nodded. "It's got a lot of power… but we can stop it. We can stop the soccer-loving ghost!" He suddenly noticed something coming through the corner of his eye and jumped in front of his friends, stopping another ghost ball. Right after deflecting it, a third one came, and a fourth one and fifth one. While the soccer-loving ghost made his shoots with ease, Tenma needed more and more effort to send the balls back, the opponent's attack growing stronger and his defense growing weaker. Not only did the shoots get more powerful, the more help Tenma needed from his Keshin, the more energy got drained from his body, causing him to catch his breath more and more quickly.

But then, the ghost stopped his attacks. The balls he had left suddenly vanished as he calmed down and sent Tenma a disappointed stare. "You're too strong… I'll find a better friend to play soccer with!" The boy then disappeared in the blink of an eye, and barely a second later, Tenma collapsed and his Keshin evaporated into his back.

"Tenma!" Shindou kneeled down next to him, helping him sit up. "Are you alright?"

Tenma was panting heavily now and muttered: "I… I'm alright. Are you and Kirino-senpai alright too?"

"We don't have a scratch thanks to you," Kirino smiled, and he nodded in gratitude.

Shindou followed his example, but then lowered his eyebrows in thought. "What did he mean, find a better friend…?"

"He must have sensed someone nearby when he got bored with us," Kirino answered, "but who could-?" He didn't finish his sentence. He didn't have to. It was so obvious. The three boys realized it at the exact same time and felt their hearts skip a beat.

"Tsurugi...!"

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><p><strong>AN: Oh me and my cliffhangers~ XD By the way, I know "Keshin" translates out to "Avatar" but that word just reminds me of the American cartoon, the James Cameron film, a display picture on MSN/forums/other websites etc. so I decided to go for the word that isn't so overused. Please review if you like~!**


	5. The Victory and The Epilogue

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry about the delayed update. I got a little discouraged because of something I'll elaborate on at the bottom of this page since I don't want to spoil the chapter. This is the last one, by the way (how come my non-one-shots always end up with five chapters?), I hope you enjoy it! -heart-**

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><p>Tsurugi had barely moved since his friends left. He was still frustrated over the fact that he would only be in the way if he tried to help them battle the soccer-loving ghost. Trying itself was a challenge; he couldn't even stand up straight with his leg. He felt the injury throb under his cape, causing a pain that forced Tsurugi to shut his eyes and try and endure it. This pain was exhausting him, he needed that leg taken care of. He was dizzy, disoriented, and about to doze off when he heard sudden footsteps.<p>

Tsurugi instantly opened his eyes. "Ten-" The other half of his friend's name got stuck in his throat when he saw who it actually was. The soccer-loving ghost stood a few meters away from him, sending him that familiar, deceiving smile. "You, friend! Let's play soccer!" he pointed.

Tsurugi thought his heart would beat out of his chest. What did this mean? Had the others lost? Were they…? No, no way! Tsurugi refused to believe it. They couldn't have lost so easily; none of them would give up like that, especially Tenma. But then, where were they? What happened? Dammit, if only he could've helped, if it weren't for that damn leg…!

"Where are my friends?" he shouted, completely ignoring the danger he was currently in. If that little prick had harmed even one of the hairs on Tenma's head…!

The ghost pouted and shrugged matter-of-factly. "They were too strong. They weren't fun." He then cheered up in a split second, reminding Tsurugi of his moodswings and giving him the chills. "Now, let's play soccer!"

He was done for. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't even crawl. His leg had basically chained him to the ground. Tsurugi could only watch as the ghost lit up one of his balls at his feet, an evil smirk crossing his face. He shut his eyes, knowing he was doomed. His fate had changed in a matter of hours; he was going to join the team of the soccer-loving ghost, his soul forever lost between life and death. He had vowed to stay true to Tenma's words and wait for him, and realizing he wouldn't be able to keep that promise pained him nearly as much as the cut in his leg. Tsurugi covered his body when he heard the ball being released, thinking only of the brunet he would never see again and wanting nothing but to hold him in his arms once more—

"Tsurugi!" Two arms suddenly wrapped around his waist and pushed him off the path of the ball. Tsurugi felt like he was flying for a moment, being thrown away from the tree that was now being split in half, before he landed on the ground and rolled over a few times. His leg let it be known it was not happy with his movements and forced a scream out of his mouth. When he and his savior stopped rolling and Tsurugi opened his eyes, he saw Kirino's face before his.

"Kirino…! Where are the others? What happened? Did Tenma-"

"They're fine," Kirino interrupted him, and Tsurugi noticed he was panting like mad. He must've hurried to save him from the soccer-loving ghost. "Tenma fought him until he disappeared to look for you. Majin Pegasus drained nearly all of his energy, so Takuto stayed behind to help him. They should be here soon."

Tsurugi's heart sped up in relief. Thank God. Thank God he was unharmed. He wouldn't forgive himself if Tenma got hurt because he let him walk off.

The two boys looked up when the ghost exhaled a disapproving moan. "Stop avoiding me!" he yelled, looking like an upset child that hated not getting his way. "Why do you keep avoiding me? I just want to play soccer!"

"You bastard… I'll send you to the pits of hell for attacking Tenma!" Tsurugi roared, although he could do little more than sit up. Kirino got up on his feet and went to stand in front of him, determined to block anything the ghost might send at them. He knew he wouldn't last long without a Keshin to back him up, which is why he smiled in relief when he saw Tenma and Shindou appear behind the ghost. Tsurugi noticed the two boys at the same time and shouted: "Tenma!"

"Tsurugi!" Tenma yelled back, his eyes wide in worry. "Are you okay?"

Tsurugi groaned. "As okay as I'll ever be!"

The ghost swung his head back and forth now that he was surrounded from two sides. His expression looked upset, panicked and frustrated at the same time, and he clearly didn't know what to do. The boy then decided to go for the weakest pair and called his ball back through telekinesis, letting it float before him and lifting his foot to shoot it.

"No!" Kirino lifted his arms and, shouting "The Mist!", summoned a five-meter-radius fog around him and Tsurugi. Leaving the ghost confused, he managed to buy enough time to lift the injured boy by the shoulders and drag him away, hurrying over to their friends. He mumbled an apology when Tsurugi cried out in pain and he let the mist fade once they reached Tenma and Shindou.

While Tenma kneeled next to Tsurugi, again inquiring if he was alright, Kirino asked Shindou: "What are we going to do? The ghost is quick; even if we manage to deflect his shoots, he'll easily dodge them."

Shindou nodded in agreement and thought for a moment. "… your technique will come in handy. We'll confuse him long enough so he'll stay at the same spot." He looked over at Tenma and said: "Tenma. Do you think you'll be able to counter his shoot one more time?"

Tenma, while tired, nodded with confidence, his eyes determined. "It'll take a lot out of me, but I'll do it if it defeats him."

"Alright," Shindou answered. He looked back at his best friend and took him by the hand. "Ranmaru, follow me!"

Just as the boys started to run, the ghost flicked his eyes to the two others, consumed with rage. Tenma didn't hesitate to glare back at him and got back up, spreading his legs firmly. He wasn't going to move from this spot, and he wasn't going to let the ghost touch Tsurugi another goddamn time. "Tsurugi…" he whispered, causing the other boy to perk up, "I realize it must be humiliating for you, having to be protected like this… but, you know…" He lowered his gaze, smiling at his dear friend. "… once this is over, you can protect _me_ many more times! Tsuru—no, Kyousuke-kun! Get better so we can have many more tests of courage!"

Tsurugi looked at him in surprise, but then returned the smile. "What are you saying, idiot? You make sure you get out of this alive, you hear?"

"Yeah!" Tenma nodded, and with that, he clenched his fists and concentrated with all his might. He used his last bit of energy to conjure his Keshin once more, noticing the ghost didn't gape at the creature in fear like last time. The boy seemed totally overwhelmed by fury, like he was at his own limit. Just as Tenma wanted, he fueled his soccerball with power and let out an infuriated cry as he kicked it towards the brunet.

Tenma ran for the ball, shouting along with Majin Pegasus as he felt power build up inside of him. He lashed his foot at the ball and stopped it like before, but this time, he sent it towards his captain with everything he had. "Captain!"

"Okay!" Shindou, waiting at a small distance, crossed his arms in front of his face and shut his eyes, summoning his own Keshin. Blue waves emerged from his back and took on a clear form as soon as he ordered: "Come out, Sousha Maestro!" The four-armed creature rose up behind the boy, flashing his traditional smile. Shindou lifted his foot and braced himself for the combined impact of the ghost and Tenma's Keshin. He was nearly blown back when the ball connected with his foot, but he managed to remain standing, putting all of his energy into this one shoot. He shut one eye and gasped for air, prepared to finish this. The moment his foot snapped forward and sent the ball flying, he shouted Kirino's name, who once again did its meaning justice by mustering a thick fog.

The ghost, deeming himself capable of dodging any shoot he could see coming, was this time forced to stay at the exact same spot. Kirino's mist surrounded him and only him, and the defender did his best to deepen it as much as he could, preventing the boy from seeing even one bit through. His own soccerball, powered up by himself and two strong Keshins, came flying at him at a raging speed and he barely even managed to spot it before it hit him full-on in the stomach.

Purple beams suddenly shone through the fog, nearly blinding the four boys. A strong wind blew their hair back as the soccer-loving ghost let out a scream in terror, vanishing in an overwhelming flash. When the mist cleared, they saw even his ball had disappeared with him, and the spot he had been standing on looked completely untouched. He was gone. The terrifying soccer-loving ghost was gone.

Tenma and Shindou sank on their knees and let their Keshins fade at the same time. Tsurugi and Kirino held them up by the shoulders, wanting to ask if they were alright, but neither of them said anything. There was a complete silence hanging over the scene, all four boys taken aback by the end of this fight.

Eventually, Shindou got up and walked back to Tenma and Tsurugi, once again holding hands with Kirino. Both brunets were beyond exhausted, but they managed a smile when they looked at each other.

"We… did it," Tenma breathed, and he held up his hand for Shindou to take. The Raimon captain clapped his free hand against his and nodded, before repeating the gesture with a smiling Kirino. "Yeah. The soccer-loving ghost is no more."

Tenma grinned happily, but then closed his eyes and fell back against Tsurugi.

"O… oi!" Tsurugi started, slightly startled, but he relaxed when he saw Tenma was merely tired. With a small smile, he accepted the contact and let the boy rest in his arms, finally able to ignore the blush on his cheeks.

Shindou and Kirino smiled at them and then at each other, not feeling the need to say anything. As if rehearsed, they moved closer at the same time and kissed each other softly on the lips, squeezing their hands together. When they pulled back, sharing the red on their cheeks, Shindou shut his eyes and said: "… I think we should call the test of courage quits now."

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><p>Tsurugi opened his eyes, disoriented. He turned his head and realized he was in his bungalow room, in his bed. The light of a new morning shone on his face through the curtains and birds were chirping outside. Tsurugi lifted himself with one hand and covered his mouth with the other as he let out a yawn. That dreadful night was over. After Shindou's maid had come to pick them up, they decided not to bother the already sleeping team and save their story for tomorrow. Everyone, including Tsurugi, albeit with help from the kind-hearted maid who treated his wound first, had taken a shower and gone straight to bed.<p>

Tsurugi enjoyed the fresh scent of his clean sheets and pajamas, making a face at the memory of his soaked, muddy attire sticking to his body. Relieved to know he could relax after such a stressful event, he leaned back and nearly fell out of bed when his door flew open and Tenma's voice screeched through the room: "Good morning, Kyousuke-kun!"

Tsurugi stared at him, startled. "Te—Matsukaze! What the hell do you think you're doing?" His gaze fell on the tray in Tenma's hands. It contained a bowl of his favorite cereal and a glass of orange juice.

"I've come to bring your breakfast, of course," Tenma smiled. He placed the tray on Tsurugi's nightstand and grabbed a hold of the closest chair, flopping down on it next to the bed. He then took the bowl in his hand and lifted a spoon of cereal, steering it towards Tsurugi's face. "Here, open up!"

"C-cut it out!" In a swift movement, Tsurugi snatched both the bowl and the spoon from Tenma's hands and shoved the cereal in his mouth. "I can eat by myself!"

Tenma let out a laugh, not at all surprised by his reaction. He then toned down and sent his friend a tender smile. "How are you feeling, Kyousuke-kun?"

"Oh, uh…" Tsurugi looked at his leg for a moment, even though it was hidden under the blanket. "… I'll need a while. But it's taken care of, I'll be fine." He then remembered a much more important matter than his leg and instantly stared at the other boy. "M-more importantly, what's with the 'Kyousuke-kun', 'Kyousuke-kun'? I never said you could call me that!"

"But it's only fair if you call me Tenma, right?" Tenma chimed. "Besides, aren't we close enough to use our first names?"

Tsurugi blushed a little and averted his eyes. "… I suppose so," he muttered, recalling the kiss Tenma had given him. Feeling his cheeks go redder, he shut his eyes and said: "Hey, Tenma… I'm sorry for yesterday."

Tenma tilted his head. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"It was because of my stupid words that we got into the whole test of courage thing in the first place," Tsurugi explained. "It was supposed to make you less scared, but… the soccer-loving ghost actually existed, in spite of what I said. You must be terrified now, right?"

Tenma regained his smile and shook his head. "No, Kyousuke-kun… On the contrary. Yesterday lifted my fear of ghosts. They're not invincible, and… when I remember what I have to fight for, that's enough to stand up for what I believe in, no matter who the opponent is. Besides… when I know it's you I have to protect, I don't think anything can scare me."

Tsurugi's cheeks darkened deeply, and the boy didn't quite know what to say. He could feel his heart beat excitedly after Tenma spoke those words, making him realize he was very happy to hear them. Tsurugi couldn't help but smile and lifted his hand, beckoning Tenma with his index finger. "… come here."

"Hm?" Curiously, Tenma bent forward, and before he knew it, a kiss had been pressed onto his forehead. He could barely comprehend the situation as Tsurugi leaned back and let go of his chin, flashing a confident grin. "Just returning the favor," he clarified.

Tenma felt his face go red, not exactly sure how to deal with what just happened. His heart and mind responded vividly to Tsurugi's action, as if urging him to ask for more. Eventually, he managed to smile back, shyly yet happily. No matter how much situations like these embarrassed or confused the two of them, he was sure they made them both happy. It didn't matter right now what Tsurugi was to him; he just wanted to be close to him, and stay that way. Tenma reached out and took Tsurugi's hand, feeling how it responded by squeezing his. "… yeah," he whispered, stars twinkling in his cheerful eyes.

Unbeknownst to them, there were two other boys eavesdropping next to the doorway. Shindou and Kirino grinned at each other before they walked away from the room, hand in hand. As they made their way up the stairs, heading for Shindou's room, Kirino asked: "Shouldn't we tell Tsurugi your maid found his phone?"

"Nah," Shindou shook his head, "we can do that later. I don't want to interrupt their moment."

Kirino nodded in agreement, and after they entered Shindou's bedroom, he flopped down on his bed. "Phew, way to have breakfast…" he sighed. "They kept asking us questions about yesterday."

"Well, it _is_ quite an adventure we've been through," Shindou reminded him as he sat down next to his friend. He grinned and added: "I don't think Kurama will accuse us of being scared again anytime soon."

"True… and I hope Kariya keeps his mouth shut from now on," Kirino groaned, blushing a bit. "It's because of him that I embarrassed myself so much."

"But it's also because of him that the tension between us has been resolved," Shindou pointed out, smiling at him. He lifted his hand and let his fingers slide through Kirino's pigtail. "… and thanks to that, we are where we are now."

Kirino returned the smile and nodded. "Not to mention we did an extremely good deed."

"Yeah…" Shindou lowered his head, thinking back to the moment he read front page of the newspaper during breakfast. "… all kids who went missing in this forest mysteriously reappeared at the bottom of the hill area, unharmed with their memories intact." He looked up at his best friend. "Do you really think we did that…?"

Kirino nodded. "They must been the kids the soccer-loving ghost kidnapped. Seeing as he stole their souls instead of killing them, they were released upon his defeat."

Shindou exhaled a sigh, feeling fulfilled. "What an adventure… Am I glad it's over."

Kirino smiled and glanced around the room for a moment, wondering how he was supposed put a certain other thing into words. "… uhm… Shindou… about yesterday…" he started awkwardly, playing with his other pigtail.

Shindou looked at him in surprise, but then figured it out. "… you… would like an answer, wouldn't you?" he said slowly. "After all, I never did give you a proper answer yesterday." When Kirino blushed and nodded without a word, he flashed a sympathetic smile. "… Ranmaru…" he whispered, moving his hand from his hair to his cheek. "I've thought about it, and… I accept your feelings. The way you feel for me means a lot, and… I feel the same for you. I want us to be the way we were yesterday."

Kirino's blush increased when he realized he was referring to the kiss in the rain. Nonetheless, he lifted his head and looked at Shindou, his eyes lighting up at the spot. "Takuto…" he said in a low tone, and he leaned in, letting Shindou know what was coming. The brunet happily helped him fill the gap and kissed him on the lips. Just like the first and second time, his mind told him how natural this was, how right his feelings for his best friend were. Even if he needed some time to think about it, Shindou knew it was the right choice to be more than friends with Kirino. That's what they both wanted.

Shutting out everything else, the boys embraced each other tightly, their eyes shut as they sank into the passionate, loving kiss.

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><p><strong>AN: So yeah, the thing bugging me was how "easy" it was to defeat the soccer-loving ghost, just needing one shot in the belly and all. I just wish to emphasize that I chose this route not because I'm too lazy to come up with something better, but because I don't want to make the character bigger than he has to be. It's implausible enough that it's a real ghost in the first place (or maybe not since friggin' angels and demons seem to have their place in the anime but I digress). If this feels like a fake-out, I apologize. Still, I hope you enjoyed this character in spite of his sheer insanity. The name of the soccer-loving ghost is actually Yunmei, which I really just sporatically came up with and decided to go with since it sounds nice (and is close to "yurei", which means "ghost"). He started out as a mere plot device to bring the couples together, but after I decided to make him real, the kid started to grow on me and practically steered the story on his own with his moodswings. He really did develop enough to become a memorable character to me. If you're curious as to how he looks, you can find a little sketch on my main page~ Also, in case anyone's wondering about this kid's backstory, how he became a crazy ghost and all, I'll try to think up a decent history and write it out sometime. If I ever finish it, I'll add it as an extra chapter to this story or something.**

**EDIT: In response to RaspberryDevil's review: I agree myself that the appearance of the lost kids is more of a footnote to the story than anything, so I totally get what you mean. The reason I didn't exploit on this was because it wouldn't add anything to the story and distract from the main characters. But I did want them to appear because, uhm, how do I say this... it makes Yunmei's defeat bigger. If he died and the Raimon kiddies were safe that'd all be fine and dandy. But if they actually undid his horrible deeds and give the lost kids and their families a happy ending too, it would mean much more. I know my way of adding this little event isn't the best one, but here you have my reasons as to why. I never did intend for the kids to fight alongside Yunmei because he doesn't want them to. He doesn't care. All he cares about is gathering as many players as he can because he is never satisfied, like Shindou said. Soccer is more of a cat and mouse game to him than the actual game, hence why he turned into a psychopatic serial killer. I hope what I said makes sense and above all, thank you very much for your supportive comment, it means a lot to me! -heart- /EDIT**

**_Anyway._ I truly hope you guys enjoyed the story for what it was and are satisfied with the fluffy ending (I personally am, ho-ho~). While I do ship Tenma/Tsurugi as a couple, I felt like I needed to take my time with them and have them bond before doing anything remotely romantic. I think this is because they're more developed in the show, while Shindou and Kirino have less screentime and thus give me more freedom to play with their relationship. Hence why they lip-kissed and Tsurugi and Tenma didn't. With this story done, I'm more in the mood to write new Chaos stories so yeah, expect those to pop up. I don't know if anyone wants to see the Snow Day one but I plan to write a similar story (aka, uh, yaoi sex) that is less rushed and more detailed. Even if the subject is awkward, it still deserves as much attention and input as any other fanfic. With that said, please leave a review and see you guys next time! -chu-**


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